Dandenong West Football Club
{{for|the former club also nicknamed the "Redlegs"|Dandenong Football Club}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox Australian football club
| color1 = #131342
| color2 = white
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| clubname = Dandenong West Football Club
| image = DandenongWestFNC.png
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| image_size = 150px
| fullname = Dandenong West Football Netball Club
| formernames = Dandenong West Junior Football Club (1963−84)
Dandenong Demons Football Club (2003−08)
Dandenong Football Club (2008−15)
Dandenong Football and Netball Club (2015−23)
| nicknames = Westerners, DW
| formernicknames = Demons, Redlegs
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| league = Southern Football Netball League
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| president = Matt McCabe
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| coach = Mick Lawrence
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| url = [https://www.dandenongfnc.com/ dandenongfnc.com]
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The Dandenong West Football Club, nicknamed the Westerners, is an Australian rules football and netball club based in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong West.{{cite web |last1=Ralphsmith |first1=Jonty |title=Redlegs to become Westerners once more |url=https://pakenham.starcommunity.com.au/sport/2023-08-05/redlegs-to-become-westerners-once-more/ |publisher=Dandenong Star Journal |access-date=4 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230805130127/https://pakenham.starcommunity.com.au/sport/2023-08-05/redlegs-to-become-westerners-once-more/ |archive-date=5 August 2023 |date=5 August 2023}}
As of 2024, the club competes in Division 4 of the Southern Football Netball League (SFNL).{{cite web |title=Dandenong Football Club |url=https://www.playhq.com/afl/org/dandenong-football-club/f0924623/southern-football-netball-league-2024/teams/dandenong-west-seniors/c853c6f1 |publisher=PlayHQ |access-date=4 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804001512/https://www.playhq.com/afl/org/dandenong-football-club/f0924623/southern-football-netball-league-2024/teams/dandenong-west-seniors/c853c6f1 |archive-date=4 August 2024}}
History
Dandenong West was formed in December 1963 as the Dandenong West Junior Football Club, fielding boys teams of various age groups.{{cite web |last1=Paproth |first1=Daniel |title=Reborn Dandenong Redlegs celebrate 50 years |url=https://dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/journal/2013-07-08/reborn-dandenong-redlegs-celebrate-50-years/ |publisher=Dandenong Star Journal |access-date=3 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125181249/https://dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/journal/2013-07-08/reborn-dandenong-redlegs-celebrate-50-years/ |archive-date=25 January 2021 |date=8 July 2013}} In 1984, the club had enough senior players to enter the South East Suburban Football League (SESFL), before moving to the Eastern Suburban Churches Football Association (ESCFA) in 1987.{{cite web |title=Dandenong Demons Football Club / Dandenong West Football Club (Vic) |url=https://www.footypedia.info/00002793.htm |publisher=Footypedia |access-date=3 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240803232559/https://www.footypedia.info/00002793.htm |archive-date=3 August 2024}}{{cite web |title=ABOUT DANDENONG WEST |url=https://www.dandenongfnc.com/about-us |publisher=Dandenong West Football Netball Club |access-date=4 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804002116/https://www.dandenongfnc.com/about-us |archive-date=4 August 2024}}
In 1993, the Southern Football League (SFL, now SFNL) absorbed the ESCFA, and Dandenong West entered the SFL. The club finished sixth in Division 3 in its inaugural SFL season.{{cite web |title=Dandenong Demons Football Club / Dandenong West Football Club (Vic) |url=https://www.footypedia.info/00002793.htm |publisher=Footypedia |access-date=3 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240803232559/https://www.footypedia.info/00002793.htm |archive-date=3 August 2024}}
In 2004, Dandenong West was renamed to the Dandenong Demons.{{cite web |title=A Brief History of the Southern Football Netball League |url=https://sfnl.com.au/league/history/a-brief-history/ |publisher=Southern Football Netball League |access-date=3 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240803233336/https://sfnl.com.au/league/history/a-brief-history/ |archive-date=3 August 2024}} The club's nickname was then changed to the "Redlegs" in 2008, the same as the Dandenong Football Club that competed in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) from 1958 until 1994.{{cite web |last1=Paproth |first1=Daniel |title=Reborn Dandenong Redlegs celebrate 50 years |url=https://dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/journal/2013-07-08/reborn-dandenong-redlegs-celebrate-50-years/ |publisher=Dandenong Star Journal |access-date=3 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125181249/https://dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/journal/2013-07-08/reborn-dandenong-redlegs-celebrate-50-years/ |archive-date=25 January 2021 |date=8 July 2013}}{{cite web |title=About us |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/club_info.cgi?c=1-3909-47823-0-0&sID=127875 |website=GameDay |publisher=Dandenong Football and Netball Club |access-date=3 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621124706/https://websites.mygameday.app/club_info.cgi?c=1-3909-47823-0-0&sID=127875 |archive-date=21 June 2023}}
In 2015, the club entered a netball team in the newly-renamed SFNL for the first time, winning the Division 6 grand final in its first season.{{cite web |title=Southern Football League Media Release |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/club_info.cgi?client=1-3909-47823-0-0&sID=122377&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=34217821 |website=GameDay |publisher=Southern Football League |access-date=3 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003002500/https://websites.mygameday.app/club_info.cgi?client=1-3909-47823-0-0&sID=122377&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=34217821 |archive-date=3 October 2023 |date=13 April 2015}}{{cite web |last1=Potter |first1=Jarrod |title=Maiden glory down to true grit |date=23 August 2015 |url=https://dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/journal/2015-08-23/maiden-glory-down-to-true-grit/ |publisher=Dandenong Star Journal |access-date=3 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240803234648/https://dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/journal/2015-08-23/maiden-glory-down-to-true-grit/ |archive-date=3 August 2024}} The club was also renamed to the Dandenong Football and Netball Club (or Dandenong Football Netball Club).{{cite web |title=DANDENONG FOOTBALL NETBALL CLUB TO RECEIVE LIFE SAVING DEFIBRILLATORS |url=https://www.gabriellewilliams.com.au/media-releases/dandenong-football-netball-club-to-receive-a-life-saving-defibrillator/ |publisher=Gabrielle Williams |access-date=3 August 2024 |archive-date=7 April 2024 |date=27 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407030958/https://www.gabriellewilliams.com.au/media-releases/dandenong-football-netball-club-to-receive-a-life-saving-defibrillator/}}
On 27 July 2023, the club announced it would return to the Dandenong West name, beginning in the 2024 season.{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Tyler |title=Why Dandenong had to revive the Westerners for 2024 and beyond |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/localfooty/sfl/sfnl-why-dandenong-had-to-revive-the-westerners-for-2024-and-beyond/news-story/f74958714c2164f5fcd094a6452bf231 |publisher=Herald Sun |access-date=4 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804000607/https://archive.md/wfak2 |archive-date=4 August 2024 |date=27 July 2023}} The club was officially renamed on 23 November 2023, and a logo and colours were revealed in December 2023.{{cite web |last1=Ralphsmith |first1=Jonty |title=New logo, colours unveiled for Southern League club |url=https://dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/sport/2023-12-05/new-logo-colours-unveiled-for-southern-league-club/ |publisher=Dandenong Star Journal |access-date=4 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205003231/https://dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/sport/2023-12-05/new-logo-colours-unveiled-for-southern-league-club/ |archive-date=5 December 2023 |date=5 December 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Tyler |title=SFNL: Dandenong West launches call to arms to play in 2024 |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/localfooty/sfl/sfnl-dandenong-west-launches-call-to-arms-to-play-in-2024/news-story/c8c532fded020dbd02f345ea87df3e71 |publisher=Herald Sun |access-date=4 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804000604/https://archive.md/OXCFh#selection-863.56-863.152 |archive-date=4 August 2024 |date=14 March 2024}}
Notable players
- Ricky Jackson, former {{AFL Mel}} VFL/AFL player{{cite web |title=Ricky Jackson |url=http://demonwiki.org/Ricky+Jackson |publisher=Demonwiki |access-date=4 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003183615/http://demonwiki.org/Ricky+Jackson |archive-date=3 October 2023}}
- Mick Reid, who played 500 senior games for the club{{cite web |last1=Amy |first1=Paul |title=Mick Reid to clock up game number 500 |url=https://sfnl.com.au/mick-reid-to-clock-up-game-number-500/ |website=Southern Football Netball League |publisher=Dandenong Leader |access-date=4 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523001514/https://sfnl.com.au/mick-reid-to-clock-up-game-number-500/ |archive-date=23 May 2024 |date=22 July 2013}}